A FORMER nurse at Macclesfield's West Park Hospital, who died in a head-on car crash at the age of 82, will be "greatly missed" by her many close friends.

Caring Margaret Hassett suffered serious head injuries as the back seat passenger in a car that was involved in a collision on the A536 Congleton Road on October 30, and died at Wigan Royal Infirmary five days later.

A close companion of Margaret, who was a devout Catholic all her life, said this week that her death would see her reunited with her best friend.

John Lomas said that Margaret, known as Peggy, was left "devastated" following the death of his wife in 1996.

They had been close friends for about 30 years, with Margaret becoming part of their extended family and godmother to their children.

John said: "When Mavis was taken seriously ill and died in 1996, Peggy was devastated and all she wanted from then on was to join her friend. She never recovered."

Margaret was born in County Tipperary in 1923 to her farming parents Patrick and Margaret.

She moved to Buckley Street, Macclesfield, in 1954 after qualifying as a nurse in Shrewsbury, and became a ward sister at West Park Hospital.

John said: "Peggy was a quite reserved lady who loved her solitude, most likely due to her upbringing in the rural countryside of Ireland and being an only child.

"She was brought up to be a devout Catholic, never failing to go to mass each Sunday and in the holidays.

"Later in life, when she came to England to take up nursing, her attendance at mass was daily when her duties permitted."

He believes that her caring nature meant that Margaret was always destined for a career in nursing.

"Her Christian beliefs and values soon became very evident in how she carried out her duties, always putting the care of patients first, no matter who they were," John said.

"There are many nurses who had the privilege to work with Peggy and are grateful to her for the knowledge and words of wisdom she passed on to them.

"Peggy had many friends among her colleagues and she will be greatly missed."

On the day of the crash, Margaret was the passenger in a red Vauxhall Astra being driven by an 85-year-old friend, also from Macclesfield.

They were heading towards Congleton when a collision occurred with a blue Renault Clio being driven in the opposite direction by an 26-year-old woman from Stoke-On-Trent.

Sergeant Ian Holley is the investigating officer in the case and has asked anyone with any information about the crash, or the events leading up to it, to contact him at the Special Investigations Unit on 01244 613641, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.